Disclosure: I worked for the Lamont campaign doing web design and production and some writing for the official blog (from 9/5/06 to 11/07/06).

Monday, June 19, 2006

What is an "Independent Democrat"?

Spazeboy asks the question, in response to a Courant article where Lieberman commits to running in the primary but refuses to say he'll support the winner of that primary.

You don't just get to declare yourself a Democrat if you decide to bolt the party to run as an Independent. Doesn't work that way. The party has one nominee. And the party unites to support that nominee.

If this is what Joe thinks of his relationship to his party, he should just run on the (R) line as a "Republican Democrat."

if joe leaves the party, he's not a democrat as defined by being a member of the democratic party. which is the common way of defining such things.

hence, joe is either a democrat, or he is not. if he is, he should support the winner of the democratic primary. if he is not, he should stop referring to himself as an "independent democrat" unless he plans on starting the "independent democrat party." otherwise, he's just an independent with an axe to grind.